Float-operated circuit closer



J. W. WALKER FLOAT OPERATED CIRCUIT CLOSER Dec. 28 192.6.

Filed Dec 26 1925 JOSEPH'MWALKE R.

zgjg fl mzi,

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

JOSEPH W. WALKER, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

FLOAT-OPERATED CIRCUIT CLOSER.

Application filed December The invention relates to devices of this character which are intended to operate either a visible or audible signal when the liquid in the tank reaches the predetermined level. The invention is intended to be used in connection with automobile fuel tanks, but is not confined to this purpose alone.

The-objects of my invention are as follows:

First. To provide a mechanisn'l that is compact and simple to construct.

Second. To provide a mechanism that can be applied to a tank without seriously mutilat-ing or changing the walls thereof.

Third. To provide a mechanism that can be applied to an automobile tank by passing the device through the filling port of the tank attaching it in close proxin'iity thereto so that certain elements thereon any be imlnipnlated by the fingers reaching through the port.

Fourth. To provide a mechanism having an electric signal in connection therewith.

Fifth. To provide a mechanism having a. housing and a float member positioned near the bottom of the tank so that the washing of the fluid will. be less severe on the float contained therein.

Sixth. To provide a mechanism carrying an electric circuit closing means having a wipe contact.

Seventh To provide a mechanism having a valve actuated by the float as a safety device against volatile gases and combined therewith a ventilating system should the valve be inclined to leak.

These and other objects will llQPt-lil'lilflfil be more fully explained.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this specification, in which- Fig. 1. is an elevation of the device, partly in section and a part of a gasoline tank in section shown therewith.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the circuit closing housing, the lid being removed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the housing.

Fig. i is an end view of the housing, parts removed for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the circuit closing means.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the float housing transversely to that shown in Fig. l.

26, 1925. Serial No. 77 792.

Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. 6.

The following is a detailed description of my invention in which 1 is a fuel tank which is commonly used for gasoline engines, same being attached to an automobile and which we will assume for convenience of description.

It will be understood that for lack of space in the drawings I have not shown the filling port of the tank and its relation to the mechanism which is passed therethrough for installation.

The device consists of a metal bar 2 having a. right angle bendon each end thereof as at A and B. Positioned on angle B is a housing 3, t is a center post for said housing and is rigidly attached to the bar as at C, and extends upward reaching through the lid 5 of the housing .sutticient to engage in a perforation through the end of a bracket (5, the said bracket being attached to the bar by a bolt 7 for convenience of removal. The said bracket functions as a binding means to hold the housing rigidly on its bearing member B, and a means to prevent the housing from turning I have provided shoulders 8 between which will engage the right angle member B. The lid 5 has a notch cut in the side thereof as at D through which the float rod will pass. In the sides of the housing positioned near the bottom thereof are two apertures having a line screen covering 9 functioning as means for the fluid to flow freely in and out of the housing and also as to prevent sediment from collecting on the interior which eventually would be an OlJStl'l'lOtiOfl of the free movement of the float.

Positioned within said housing and slid ably engaging on the post 4 is a float 10, the said float having a tube 11 concentrically positioned therein so that the float will, slide freely longitudinally on the pin. To one side of the float is rigidly connected a rod 12 vertically positioned and passing through tube 13. the said tube being supported at its extremities by brackets 14 which are rigidly connected thereto, and also rigidly connected to the bar 2, the object of the tube is to pro tect the rod from being bent when the nozzle of a filling station hose is inserted into the filling port of the tank. and also functions as bracing means for the bar pendantly supporting the housing at its lower extremity.

The supporting bar 2 is rigidly attached to the underside of the top of the tank 1 by means of the tube and a screw 16, simultaneous therewith and electric switch housing 17 is attached firmly to the outside of the tank. The tube 15 being threaded is adapted to engage in a threaded aperture in the angle A of the supporting bar 2 as at E, and Hi the end extending into the housing 17 is a nut 18 thread-edly attached for the purpose above described.

The tube 15 is concentrically positioned in the bottom of tie housing 17 functioning as a guide for the float rod 12, and being hollow the lower end thereof is funnelled as at F functioning as a valve seat. Adjustably positioned on the float rod is a stop having a plunger 19, a flange 20 and a collar 21, the said stop is attached to the float rod by means of a set screw 22, and when properly positioned will function as a Valve closing the end of the tube when raised by the buoyancy of the float, and when thus closed will prevent the gasoline from flowing through the tube entering the switch housing. In case the valve should leak allowing the fluid to enter the housing, I have provided an opening through both sides thereof and covered them with fine metal gauzing 18 as ventilating and'dust proof means. As accessible means thereto I have provided a lid 23 attached to the housing by screws 24.

Later-ally extending through one of the side walls of the housing are two electric binding posts 25, said posts extending nearly across the interior thereof and positioned on opposite sides of the float rod as shown in Figures 1 and 2 so that the circuit closing points will be separated for a flexible wipe contact 26 to operate more freely.

In Fig. 5 is shown an insulated head 27 seated on the end of the float rod 12, and laterally extending through said head is the circuit closing wire 26, which is very resilient to accommodate for unequal spacing between the ends of the wire and the posts. The end of the wire contacting the posts are curved upward as at G so that the connection will be a wipe contact, which means insurance of the removal of corrosion or sediment.

In Fig. 1 is shown the position of the valve and-circuit closing elements when the fluid in the tank is approximately at a low ebb as shown by dotted lines H, and when further reduced the circuit will close turning on the alarm, and the float may be so adjusted that a suflicient amount of fluid will remain in the tank to drive the car two or three miles. hen the tank is filled or reduced approximately as shown by dotted lines I the top of the float will engage snugly to the top of the housing or it may be stopped by means of the valve, and such position will disengage the electric connection.

I do not claini broadly the signaling means and wiring system, as these elements have been included in my former application, filed November 13, 1924, Serial No. 749,720.

Such modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new ant desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. In a float operated circuit closer, in combination with a fluid fuel tank, a supporting bar having right angle bends on the end thereof, a tube carried by a laterally extending member attached to the vertical portion of said bar, a housing pendantly upported by said bar, a guide pin vertically positioned on the lower right angle bend f said bar, said. pin axially engaging through said housing, an L-shaped bracket d tachably connected to said bar, said eof so that the guide pin will engage the said bracket functioning as se- M38118 for said housing to the pin, a float pciitioned within said housing, a rod attached to the float vertically extending therefrom and slideably engaging in the tube, a second tube threadedly connected to the upper rightangle bend of said bar so that the outer end thereof will extend through the "all of the tank, a valve seat in the lower end of last said tube, a second hous ing positioned on the outer end of last said tube as binding means to the exterior of the tank simultaneously with the supporting bar, binding contact posts within last said housing, a stop adjust-ably positioned on said rod to engage with the seat of second said tube functioning as a valve, an insulator frictionally engaging on the end of said rod, a wire laterally extending through said insulator so that both ends thereof will contact with said binding posts as circuit closing means, all substantially as shown.

2. In a float operated circuit closer, in combination with a liquid fuel tank, a supporting bar pendantly attached to the top of said tank, a housing pendantly supported by said bar, openings near the bottom of said housing, metal screening covering said openings, a pin and a bracket supporting said housing in vertical alignment with the bar, means for preventing the rotation of said housing, a float slideably engaging in said housing, a rod attached to the side of said float, said rod extending upward and in parallel alignment with said bar, a guard tube and means for supporting said tube to said bar so that said tube is in axial alignment with said rod slideably engaging therein, a second tube in axial alignment with said rod, the said tube functioning as a valve and simultaneously as supporting means binding said bar to the tank, a second housing having an aperture to receive the outer end of the second said tube as attaching means Gil therefor to the outside of the fuel tank, an opening in the sides of said housing, a metal screen over said openings, an electric contact member transversely positioned on the end of said rod within last said housing, a pair of binding posts attached to the side wall of last said housing to which the said contact member will engage as circuit closing means.

3. In a float operated circuitcloser, a sup-- porting frame positioned within a liquid fuel tank, the said frame comprising a bar with a right angle bend at both ends. a pin vertically positioned on the lower right an gle bend and a bracket engaging the top end of said pin, the said bracket attached to said bar, the said pin, bracket, and right angle bend functioning as supporting means for a i'loat housing, a float positioned in the housing, a rod vertically extending from one side of the float, a tube and means connecting said tube to the bar, the said tube functions as a guard for the float rod, slideably engaging therethrough, a second housing hav ing screen covered apertures in the sides thereof, the said housing positioned on the outside of the tank to receive the upper end of the float rod, a pair of electric contact binding posts extending across the housing, one being on each side of the float rod, means for connecting a laterally extending contact member to the rod so that the ends Will enqage on the post as circuit closing means.

4. In a float operated circuit closer, a supporting bar and a tube spaced and parallel to said bar, a right angle bend on one end to attach to the top of a liquid fuel tank, a right angle bend on the opposite end having a pin vertically positioned thereon, a housing having perforations concentrically in both ends thereof, and a float interposed therein and a perforation centrally disposed in said float, the said pin to engage through all of said perforations, parallel shoulders on the bottom of said housing to engage over said right angle bend preventing rotation of said housing, a lid on said housing, a slot in side of said lid for the float rod to engage therein to prevent rotations of the float while opening and closing the circuit.

JOSEPH WY WVALKER. 

